10 réponses à ce sujet

[Reedirector]

I know this post doesn't really technically belong in Story, Campaign & Characters but I couldn't think of a more appropriate place to post it? If there is one, I apologise. Tell me where and I'll shuffle over there awkwardly.

 

Basically, I suspect many of you have replayed the ME series many times over by now, so your thoughts and input and worldly experience would be greatly appreciated! I'm currently going through my second playthrough of the Mass Effect series and seem to be experiencing what I would call "Second-Playthrough Blues" and the game is slightly less enjoyable because of it (thought it is still an excellent experience). The problem is that:

 

1. I know all the plot twists and revelations and witty/profound one-liners before they happen, so the story is less engaging
2. Because this is my first time replaying the series, I haven't gotten used to the fact I know everything that's going to happen. Maybe during my third playthrough I'll get over the fact I know exactly what will happen and be able to enjoy the game simply for what it is?

For instance, the romances are slightly less appealing because I remember most of the dialogue. The scene where the Alliance fleet attacks Sovereign and the Geth was less epic because I knew how it turned out. Things like that.

 

Incidentally, my current playthrough is almost identical to my previous playthrough, but I tweaked Shepard's personality and made them female. I tried doing things differently but it felt incongruous so I had to restart.

 

Have any of you fine people experienced a similar thing? Does it get better? Have you got any tips? Or is it just an incorrectable character fault of mine and I should just suck up and grit my teeth?

 

PS. This sounds dumb but maybe it's because it's the summer up here in the Northern Hemisphere? My last playthrough was during winter when it was cold and dark and the atmosphere fit Space Opera much better than heat and sun and sweat. Maybe I'm just playing the game at the wrong mood in my life. 

[cap and gown]

You sound like you are making all the same choices and playing the exact same classes as the previous playthrough. There is no way you know "all the plot twists and revelations and witty/profound one-liners before they happen" unless you have gone into the sound files and listened to everyone of them, and even then you don't know the context for how some dialogue fits in. How about destroying Maelon's research data in ME2 and then sabotaging the genophage in ME3. How about killing Mordin during the suicide mission. Kill Jack. Don't wake up Legion, sell him to Cerberus.

 

"romances are slightly less appealing because I remember most of the dialogue"

 

How did you manage to romance both Liara and Ashley in ME1? That's not possible. Did you romance Tali, Miranda, and Jack in ME2? It's possible to do, but unlikely. Did you romance Kelly, Allers, Liara, Kaidan, and Cortez in ME3, while also continuing romances with Miranda, Jack and Tali? Umm, no.

[fraggle]

I don't have that problem. In fact I love to play again and again. I try to do things differently, killing off certain characters etc. It keeps things fresh for me, but if you keep having that problem, maybe just take a break from it.

Maybe try not using any persuasion option, and no interrupts? You might be surprised! (I do that mostly currently, and it's quite nice to see what you can't accomplish during certain times)

Or maybe go for Low EMS in ME3? Take different squad members with you? Swap up missions (like for example taking Legion with you when you do Tali's Loyalty mission in ME2)? Don't upgrade the Normandy in ME2? Try all classes and different powers?

Of course this doesn't change the main story in any drastic way, but for me it's engaging to try out different things.

[themikefest]

In your second playthrough, choose the opposite of what you did in your first playthrough. If you left Kaidan on Virmire, leave Ashley this time. 

 

In ME2 only recruit 8 instead of 12 and do only a couple of loyalty missions. If you saved the collector base before, destroy it this time. Of course the only way you know if it makes a difference is if you have low ems in ME3

 

In ME3, sabatage the cure if it was cured in the previous playthrough. If you didn't get peace with the quarians and geth, try that. Or if you chose the geth, choose the quarians in this playthrough

 

Take different squadmates for each mission for some different dialogue

 

Play as a renegade instead of a paragon. Choose a different class and background

 

There are so many different things that can be done with different playthroughs

[Reedirector]

You sound like you are making all the same choices and playing the exact same classes as the previous playthrough. 

 

[...]

 

How did you manage to romance both Liara and Ashley in ME1? That's not possible.

 

Yeah, unfortunately I didn't make this clear but my second playthrough is essentially a carbon-copy of the first playthrough. I initially attempted to do a radically different story (Renegade instead of Paragon, all different romances and decisions etc) but that felt awful. It wasn't really the kind of story I wanted to play, so I had to quit and restart because I really wasn't enjoying it. I'm actually enjoying this identical second playthrough much more than when I tried to do something exciting and different because I am, in essence, a boring vanilla-missionary ******

 

Thank you everyone for having the patience to reply to this post, but I think I'm coming to terms with the fact subsequent playthroughs will never live up to the glory of the first, and to start enjoying them as they are. 

[congokong]

Did you romance Tali, Miranda, and Jack in ME2? It's possible to do, but unlikely. Did you romance Kelly, Allers, Liara, Kaidan, and Cortez in ME3, while also continuing romances with Miranda, Jack and Tali? Umm, no.

Hey, in ME2 player maleShep can romance Liara, Tali, Kelly, Jack, and kiss Miranda for maximum "body fluid exchange." lol  Oh, and Morinth too. But then Shepard has to RIP.

[congokong]

Yeah, unfortunately I didn't make this clear but my second playthrough is essentially a carbon-copy of the first playthrough. I initially attempted to do a radically different story (Renegade instead of Paragon, all different romances and decisions etc) but that felt awful. It wasn't really the kind of story I wanted to play, so I had to quit and restart because I really wasn't enjoying it. I'm actually enjoying this identical second playthrough much more than when I tried to do something exciting and different because I am, in essence, a boring vanilla-missionary ******

 

Thank you everyone for having the patience to reply to this post, but I think I'm coming to terms with the fact subsequent playthroughs will never live up to the glory of the first, and to start enjoying them as they are. 

I at first was put off by renegade as well besides the lolz. But a "reasonable renegade" (think Jack Bauer) actually sounds like more of a real person than alternate variations. For example, the ruthless background is the only one that besides giving a military history, actually says how you think. Add colonist to that and you have a lot of personal motivation for what happened on Torfan.

 

And when it comes to choices, let's face it, in real life without the "paragon = instant win" meta-gaming many of us would choose renegade at times, if not close to always. What makes renegade choices interesting, besides being realistic, is that there are consequences. Ex: If you focus on Sovereign in ME1, leaving the council to die, there will be a lot of tension on the Citadel in ME2. Even if you only did it because Sovereign had to be taken down ASAP whatever the cost, because of the cover-up all the public knows is that human ships wouldn't risk themselves to save the Destiny Ascension composed of mostly aliens. Interesting dynamic there, yes? And that's just one example.

 

In conclusion, try giving renegade a shot; not necessarily as an evil jerk, but as a hard person capable of making the tough decisions. My canon was such, even though I played plenty of vanilla "no one dies if I can help it" playthroughs before.

 

 

 

EDIT: Below is a link to my canon Shepard's story which explains her motivations behind being renegade. Don't read it if you don't want renegade spoilers.

 

http://forum.bioware...shepards-story/

[fraggle]

I at first was put off by renegade as well besides the lolz. But a "reasonable renegade" (think Jack Bauer) actually sounds like more of a real person than alternate variations. For example, the ruthless background is the only one that besides giving a military history, actually says how you think. Add colonist to that and you have a lot of personal motivation for what happened on Torfan.

 

In conclusion, try giving renegade a shot; not necessarily as an evil jerk, but as a hard person capable of making the tough decisions. My canon was such, even though I played plenty of vanilla "no one dies if I can help it" playthroughs before.

 

I used to also think I never could go Renegade, but I'm doing exactly what you said right now. Someone who makes the tough decisions to get the mission done efficiently, and someone who can be scarred by the past of being a Colonist and due to what happened on Torfan.

Renegade doesn't have to be jerky, you can have some really good reasons to go down that path, plus I don't even have to go full Renegade, it's a good mix of both. I enjoy it way more than my Paragon-ish runs!

[themikefest]

I enjoy playing as a renegade. So much fun.

[S.W.]

I can sympathise OP, I can never play as a full renegade. I'd say about 50% of renegade options are more about being assertive and cynical than being a total arse though. In ME1 and ME3, I find you can get enough points to pass persuade checks without being a massive jerkass all the time.

 

I'm currently going through my second playthrough and I've tried to ignore renegade/paragon points and just tried to roleplay as much as possible. It's more fun. My current Shepard is a real loose canon, probably quite maladjusted, kills very easily and doesn't waste any time on missions, but she's equally dismissive of the Alliance and Cerberus, and cares enough about some of her crewmates to sometimes hold back on their behalf (I struggle to be mean to Tali, for instance). I'm about 70% renegade, 30% paragon.

 

In general, even if you can't play as a renegade, I'd suggest thinking about your Shepard and trying to think of a character which is different from your first that you'd enjoy playing. ME3, from what I've heard, becomes a completely different game if half your ME2 companions are dead. I'd also suggest switching up your crewmates so you get to hear different lines - I'm taking Zaeed everywhere on this ME2 playthrough after neglecting him in favour of Garrus during my first run, and he's so no bullshit it's damn hilarious.

 

In terms of romances, the answer is obvious - pursue someone else That said, I sympathise too OP, I romanced Liara in ME1 again because I can't stand Kaidan, and am thinking about leaving her for Garrus... again. I think ManShep gets better options imo, especially in ME2.

[cap and gown]

As several people here have pointed out, make a character that is not you and play that character, not yourself. Come up with a reason why they are doing what they are doing, saying what they are saying. Then it is the character doing it, not you. Some stuff may be distasteful, but at the same time add a great deal of drama and emotion to your playthrough, like killing Mordin to stop him from curing the genophage. That is a powerful scene, and its easy to come up with a Shepard who would do such a thing and not because he/she was "evil." (I will say, though, I have never sabotaged the genophage with Wrex around. That was one scene I left to youtube. )

 

I have many different Shepards, each with their own motivations, and each making different choices during the playthrough. For instance, I am considering a new playthrough with Katrina "Cat" Shepard. You can read about her thinking in this thread. I also have a number of playthroughs on youtube. In each playthrough I start by introducing the character, their background, and their general motivations.

 

Tristan Shepard - Spacer/Ruthless - This was designed as a fail-Shepard, but I try to provide a motivation for why he does what he does, and not simply because such-and-such a move would result in someone dying. This Shepard was about 50/50. Indeed, in ME3 he got both the paragon and later the renegade dialogue from the Shepard VI when he activated it at different points in the story.

 

Morwen Shepard - Colonist/Sole Survivor - Morwen was severely traumatize by having her family killed by slavers when she was 16 and is adamant that each individual has the right to determine their own path rather than have it determined for them by someone else. This Shepard tended towards paragade.

 

Tatyana Shepard - Colonist/Ruthless - Tatyana was also traumatized by the raid on Mindoir that killed her family, but this left her determined to not let this happen to others. She was absolutely ruthless to wrong doers, and was also driven to succeed in her missions no matter the costs. This Shepard tended toward renegon.